The oceans truly contain countless mysteries.
17 Strangest Things Found by Deep Sea Divers
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They say still waters run deep, but ocean waves hide the strangest things
It goes without saying that the world’s oceans are vast and mysterious. Therefore, it is no surprise that people have found some truly strange things when exploring them. From ancient statues to war artifacts to weird underwater life forms, here are the strangest things found by deep-sea divers. Make sure you also check out these amazing trivia facts about the earth’s oceans.
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Trucks
Trucks belong on the road—but some of them manage to make their way to the bottom of the ocean. It’s not unusual for deep-sea divers to occasionally stumble upon artifacts of military trucks within the ocean’s depths. Here are some strange facts about earth.
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Planes
Just like trucks, planes occasionally find their way to the bottom of the ocean. For example, deep-sea divers in Oahu, Hawaii, stumbled upon the remains of an F4U Corsair that had been in many wars and crashed into the ocean in 1946 due to fuel shortage. Here are some of the most beautiful sea caves in the world to visit.
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Ferries
It might not be the most comforting thought, but unfortunately ferries can sink too. For example, MS Zenobia, a Swedish-built 10,000-ton ferry, launched in 1979 and sunk near Cyprus in the 1980s. Here’s a list of ghost ship sightings that no one can explain.
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An Underwater River
The Underwater River is not actually a river, but an optical illusion. Cenote Angelita Cave contains a very rare optical illusion, caused by a halocline: a cloud of hydrogen sulphide formed by decomposing organic debris at the bottom of the cave. This magical-looking cloud separates the salty seawater above from the fresh groundwater which seeps up from below, and makes it seem like divers are swimming in an underwater river. Check out these other fascinating ocean facts.
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Statues
Museums are not the only place you can find historical relics. If they’re lucky, deep-sea divers occasionally run into submerged ancient statues. For example, on the seafloor off the coast of Naples, Italy, lies one of the world’s only underwater archaeological parks: the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Baia. Here are some other incredible undersea treasures found all over the world.
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Tanks
Reminders of past wars can make their way anywhere—and that includes oceans. Deep-sea divers occasionally end up finding remains of once-powerful tanks at the bottom of the ocean. Here are some other technological advancements from World War I.
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Gas masks
It is not exactly a joyous occasion to run into masks used in past wars on the bottom of the ocean. However, deep-sea divers do occasionally run into forgotten war relics like these. Did you know gas masks are not the only creepy things found in the ocean?
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Titanic
Yes, the ruins of the famous Titanic were never recovered. The once “unsinkable” ship lies at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and it was discovered in September 1985. Fascinated by shipwrecks? Check out these other sunken ships around the world.
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Jesus statue
A glorious sculpture of Jesus Christ by Guido Galletti was deliberately placed on the Mediterranean seabed in 1954. The status is a tribute to Italian scuba diver Dario Gonzatt, who had died while diving in that location, near the Italian Riviera. Today, divers find the statue covered by ocean life. Make sure you also check out these other stunning deep-sea sights across the world.
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Sunken submarines
Yes, you read that right. Submarines do occasionally sink, and the remains of them can be found in many different places in the world’s oceans.
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Giant Isopod
It’s no wonder why these curious creatures are named “giant”—one giant isopod grew up to 2.5 feet. They’re actually a form of crustacean related to the humble woodlouse (also called pill bugs, or roly-polys)! Isopods live on land, and in both salt and fresh water. Giant isopods are the clean-up crew of the sea, scavenging for dead animals. To help clean up the ocean, here’s a list of brilliant products made from recycled ocean plastics.
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Christmas tree worm
This strange yet beautiful deep-sea creature was found by scientists at the Great Barrier Reef’s Lizard Island. Although they get their name from their triangular plumes, this colorful creature would make a great addition to any Christmas tree–but they’d prefer a coral tree.
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Sea angels
With their beautiful, nearly transparent wings, it’s easy to see where sea angels get their name, but they are actually a type of predatory sea snail. Unlike other sea snails, sea angels don’t have shells. They grow no bigger than a walnut (about 2 inches).
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Flamingo tongue snail
Who knew snails could be this beautiful? This deep-ocean creature is named after its flamboyantly colored shell. Here are some more colorful animals found in the ocean.
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Leafy seadragon
If you expected the leafy seadragon to resemble a dragon, you might be disappointed. This creature, found along the South-Western coast of Australia, looks more like floating seaweed. Here are some ocean mysteries that scientists cannot explain.
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Sea spider
Yes, you can still run into spiders even at the bottom of the ocean! These leggy giants can grow nearly 10 inches in diameter, and they really are all legs: even their organs are housed in the legs. This still isn’t the strangest thing to wash up on beaches.
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Arctic Hydromedusa
This mysterious creature resides in the deep waters of the Arctic, about 3,300-feet deep. Next, check out deep sea creatures that are just as bizarre as this one.
Sources:
- ScubaDiverLife.com: “Scuba Diving the MS Zenobia”
- The Travel: “25 Things Actually Found Underwater By Deep-Sea Divers”
- My Modern Met: “Hidden Underwater River Flows Along Mexico’s Ocean Floor”
- Atlas Obscura: “The Sunken City of Baia”
- Britannica.com: “Titanic”
- ChristoftheAbyss.net: “Statue Of Christ Of The Abyss, Italy”
- Mental Floss: “18 Awesome Facts About Giant Isopods”
- Smithsonian Ocean: “A Chorus of Sea Angels”
- Popular Mechanics: “The 50 Weirdest Freaks That Live Beneath the Sea”
- New Scientist: “Zoologger: The giant sea spider that sucks life out of its prey”
